Still Thankful...

...even though it's been over a week since we stuffed our faces with food and filled our hearts with being around friends. 
It's a tradition around here for us to head to the Highlands for Thanksgiving. (2006, 2007, 2008 Go there and see my hair long and us without kids) The Highlands is cool, not cold, just like Florida is around the Holidays. So we feel a bit more like we're at home in Florida when we go... except for the winding mountain road (that Isaiah puked on...twice... once going up, once coming down), the dense tropical rainforest, the waterfalls, the aboriginal jungle people, the tea plantations, the Indian food, and the strawberries- er rather, the strawberries growing in November as opposed to the Florida ones that grow in Spring-Summer- yeah, other than that, it's JUST like Florida. :)

All the "kids" in the back sleeping. See Immanuelle's seat in the back right? If you're ever in Asia and as a foreigner you don't feel like you're getting stared at enough when you stop for gas/feed the baby, just open up the back hatch and put your infant into their seat over the back seat, along with the luggage and close the door. That should do it.

Kaylee was passed out in the car because she stayed up ALL NIGHT LONG (as in didn't go to sleep) helping our cupcake neighbor bake/decorate 2 cakes for the SULTAN! How stinkin' cool is THAT?!? The first cake was for his nephew, a prince, turning 1 year old. Kaylee made a ton of those red balls going around the bottom and Elmo's nose. The other cake was for the Sultan himself. That should be the first thing on any resume she fills out now, "Made birthday cake for Sultan."

Half-way up the mountain is this huge waterfall where we always stop so we don't puke in the car can take pictures.

"Auntie" at our favorite Indian restaurant who usually does things like give our kids huge chocolate bars without asking. It's our first stop every year. She totally held Immanuelle the entire meal. Ellie Bird LOVED it and fell asleep.

This is the food we get at Auntie's Restaurant (Restoran Kumar is the name) Tandoori Chicken with garlic naan, banana leaf, with strawberry lassi's, and strawberry roti. Mmmmm! Get's me in the Thanksgiving Spirit just thinking about it!

Isaac took this photo! So thankful for the people we're eating with. They are a HUGE blessing in our lives.

INSERT BREAK: After Restoran Kumar, we were too lazy to look for couldn't find the camera until the morning we left. So there aren't any pics of Thanksgiving day...but see our other posts about it and just insert older and more Rivers children into those photos and that's what it was like :)

Drive down the mountain. I say, if your kid is gonna puke up his cinnamon roll and milk, you might as well take a picture of it.

Ahhh... flat(er) straight(er) roads. This was taken in the state we live in. Just in case you wanted to see a little of the countryside. Goodness it's gorgeous here.

...and one last one which should transition us into Christmastime pics quite smoothly. Click on the pic to make it bigger. This sign TOTALLY makes us feel like we're back in Florida driving down I-4 through Orlando past the Orlando Premium Outlet Mall. Not that we're huge shoppers or anything, but its amazing (and probably pathetic:) how much this sign makes it feel like home. So thankful!!